Sharpening mechanism for cloth-cutting machines



(No Model.)

P. HOWE.

SHARPENING MECHANISM FOR'GLOTH CUTTING MACHINES. No. 355,085. Patented Dec. 28, 1886,

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PATRICK HOWE, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO I. FEN N O, R. D.

GOODVVIN, AND O. M. BLAKE, OF SAME PLACE, AND .A. K. TOLMAN, OF NEWTON, AND H. G. HARTSHORNE, OF WAKEFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

SHARPENING MECHANlSM FOR CLOTH-CUTTING MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 355,085, dated December 28, 1886.

Application filed February 525, 1886. Serial No. 193.164. (No model.)

.To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, PATRICK HOWE, of Boston, county of Suffolk, and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Sharpening Mechanism for Cloth-Cutting Machines, of which the following description, in

connection with the accompanying drawings,

is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention has for its object to provide the cutter-head of a cloth-cutting machine having a rotary cutter with mechanism whereby the said cutter may be kept sharp to avoid removing the same to sharpen it when dull.

My invention is herein shown as embodied in connectionwith the head of a cloth-cutting machine, substantially such as described in United States Patent No. 280, 827, dated July 10, 1883. V

My invention consists, essentially,in the combination of one or more rotating grinding or sharpening wheels, and means, substantially as will be described, to support the said wheel or wheels in proper position with relation to U the rotating cutter of a cloth-cutting machine,

to keep such cutter sharp, as I will now proceed t0 particularly set forth and claim.

Figure 1 shows a sufficient portion of the head of a cloth-cutting machine with my improvements added to enable my invention to be understood, and Fig. 2 a right-hand end elevation of Fig. 1.

The cutter-head a, the vertical shaft a therein, the horizontal spindle a and the rotary cutter Z) are the same in construction and operation as the parts designated by like letters in my Patent No. 280,827, referred to, and in connection with the said cutter will be employed the usual foot to rest upon the cloth.

In cloth-cutting machines as now made the cutters when dull have to be removed from the head to be sharpened, which results in great loss of time both of the operator and of the use of the machine. To obviate this difficulty and keep the rotary cutter uniformly sharp, I have connected with the head of the machine, as hereinshown, two rotating grinding or sharpening tools or wheels; but I desire it to be understood that I may, if desired, omit the sharpening tool or wheel which comes against the outer edge of the rotary cutter.

In the present embodiment of myinvention the head a of the machine has a stud, 2,which supports the upper end of a rod, 3, herein shown as provided at its upper end with a clamp, which is made to embrace the said stud snugly by means of the screw 4, the stud being of sufficient length to permit the rod 3 and the parts carried by it to be adjusted horizontally, to thereby move the shaft 5, carrying the rotating grinding or sharpening wheel 6 horizontally toward or from the center of the spindle a, carrying the cutter b. The rod 3, at its lower end, has a second clamping portion, 7, provided with a screw, 8, the said clamping portion receiving a stud or projection, 9, forming, preferably, an integral part of the sleeve-bearing 10, through which is extended the shaft 5, the outer end of the said shaft within the cap 12 secured upon the said bearing and there held by a screw, 13, being acted upon by a spring, v14, placed within the said cap, the spring acting normally to keep the beveled face of the grinding-wheel 6 in contact with the inner edge of the cutter b with a force measured by thesaid spring; but this force can be made more or less by adj usting the cap 12 upon the screwthreaded end of the said sleeve-bearing.

The sleeve-bearing may be adjusted vertically by releasing the screw 8, thus permitting the stud 9 to be moved freely in the clamping portion 7, and at the same time, if desired,the stud 9 may be rotated more or less in the said clamp to place the center of the shaft 5 at the proper angle or inclination with relation to the center of rotation'of the shaft (11 38 to insure the correct placing of the beveled edge of the grinding-wheel 6, with relation to the edge of the cutterb, to be sharpened by the said wheel.

I have shown the sleeve-bearing 1O as'provided with a. second stud, 15, about which is clamped, by screw 16, the upper end of the rod 17, at the lower end of which is a clamp, 18, having a clamping-screw, 19, the said clamp 18 receiving adj ustably the upwardly-bent end 23, upon which is secured a second bevel-faced grinding wheel or cutter, 24, the said shaft being extended through the said sleeve-bearing, where it is acted upon by the spring 25 within the adjustable cap 25, which will be held in adjusted position upon the screwthreaded end of the said sleeve-bearing by means of a set-screw, 13, as is the cap 12, before described. I

By releasing the screws 16 and 19 the parts supporting the grinding or sharpening-wheel 24 maybe adjusted to place the beveled edge of the said wheel in proper working position with "relation to the edge of the cutter b, to'be sharpened by it.

The grinding-wheels 6 and 24 will be rotated by the action of the cutter 1), against which they are pressed by the springs described, and in their rotation they grind or abrade the cutter near its edge, thus-keeping the cutter sharp.

I do not desire to limit my invention to the exact means herein described for supporting and adjusting the sleeve-bearings containing the shafts of the grinding or sharpening wheels, as instead of them I might employ other equivalent'well-known rod-clamping portions having the same capacity for adj ustment.

The cutter-head has attached to it the handle h, by which to move the same freely in any direction above the cloth to be cut.

I claim 1. The combination,with the head of a clothcutting machine provided with a disk-cutter, b, of a grinding or sharpening wheel, and means, substantially as setvforth, to support the same in adjustable manner with relation to the said head and cutter, to operate substantially as described.

2. The head of a cloth-cutting machine provided with a rotary cutter, I), combined with two grinding or sharpening wheels, one located at each side of the said cutter, and with means, substantially as set forth, to adjust the shafts of the said grinding or sharpening wheels with relation to the said cutter, to operate substantially as described.

3. In a cloth-cutting machine, the head a, having a rotary cutter and provided with the stud 2, the rod 3, adjustable on the said stud, and the sleeve-bearing having a stud and means, substantially as set forth, to connect it adjustably with the rod 3, combined with a rotary grinding or sharpening wheel, its shaft, and the spring and cap to hold the outer end of the said spring, the combination being and operating substantially as described. In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

PATRICK HOWE. Witnesses:

B. J. N OYES, F. CUTTER. 

